Plastic pipes are extensively used in sprinkler systems. They are fairly low cost and they are easy to connect and repair. Such pipes are often called PVC pipes because they are made from a poly vinyl chloride composition. They may be joined without threading, for example by applying adhesive such as pipe solvent to the end of the pipes and slipping the pipes together.
Applicant's invention relates to pipe, such as PVC pipe which is often buried underground. For example, underground PVC pipe is often used in lawn sprinkler systems to deliver water to the lawn. Where these pipes, are connected, such as at a “junction,” forces are sometimes concentrated. Occasionally, this causes fracturing in the pipes, typically adjacent to such a junction.
When a break occurs in an underground sprinkler system having PVC pipe it can be repaired by digging away dirt over the break, cutting out a small section of pipe containing the break and connecting a new section of pipe using a pair of couplings, one coupling at each junction of the new section of pipe and the old pipe. However, this operation often requires removing dirt from around a long section of pipe, which may be inconvenient especially when it's pipe in a lawn sprinkler system. A repair method and device which would allow the installation of a new junction where the break occurs in a pipe adjacent the entry of the pipe to the junction, without requiring large amounts of dirt being removed from around the break area would facilitate repairs of a sprinkler system.
While a number of patents are directed to a sleeve for joining two pipe sections having the same outer diameter, Applicant's method and sleeve is directed to providing a new junction (such as a T junction, cross or an elbow) and a device to join the extension to the pipe entering the junction where the break in the pipe entering the junction is adjacent or close to the point where the junction and pipe meet.
Prior art teaches repair of breaks by cutting back, a substantial distance, backup the conduit (see FIG. 1). Then, the prior art teaches, placing a new pipe section, of the same Id (inner diameter) and Od (outer diameter) as the broken pipe, with a suitable external or internal sleeve, to join the two pipe sections. A problem arises when one has to cut back a substantial distance to sleeve the broken pipe. One must provide a sufficient distance for the new replacement pipe to approach the junction. While in many cases this may not present a problem, it does if one is tearing up a lawn to get room to sleeve to the broken pipe. In some situations there is not a lot of space to work and the best solution would be to cut the pipe as close to the broken pipe section as possible. Yet this cannot be achieved in the prior art method where the broken pipe needs to be cut back a sufficient distance to allow a first sleeve to be filled to the broken end, yet to be sufficiently back from the junction piece so as not to interfere with the junction piece joining the new (replaced) section of pipe.